Charles Warrick Grissom
by shelikesvegitation
Summary: I think that enduring, committed love between a married couple, along with raising children, is the most noble act anyone can aspire to - Nicholas Sparks. Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle. The unlikely, but perfect, couple become unlikely, but perfect, parents. Takes place sometime in season 13. Possible spoilers for season 12. Rated T for possible language and themes.
1. Chapter 1

"Bobby?" She posed.

"Too young." He said.

"Well, it would really be Robert." She said.

He tilted his head in contemplation. "No." He finally said.

She pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling. "Brock?" She said, her face contorted at the ridiculousness of her suggestion. He looked at her with his face tilted and his eyebrows raised. His _'no' _face.

She walked over to the bed and fell down beside him. "I think that's all the B's." She said. She rested her head on his chest. "Shall we move on to the C's?" She asked. He let out a deep breath. She turned over onto her stomach, her chin now resting on his breast, her face now facing his. "Well, we have to keep going, Gil. He's been home for 2 full days now."

"I know, I – well, we should think about my idea more seriously." He said.

"Which one?" She asked, her brow furrowed.

"To name him after someone."

"But who?" She moaned. "It would have to be someone from your life. Because mine –there's no one."

"What about my father?"

"Sweetheart, your father's name was Eugene." She said, now rubbing her temples. "Middle name? No problem." He nodded. She turned back over on her back and he gently kissed the top of her head. They looked up at the ceiling. She reached down and lifted his hand in hers and played with his fingers. She groaned.

"Charles?" She asked. He looked over at her, looking curious. "Darwin." She shrugged.

"I like Charles." Grissom said.

"Yay." Sara said with as much excitement as she could muster, which wasn't a lot. "So we now have one name on our list." She brought her hands to her face and moved them back into her hair. She took a deep breath.

"What about Warrick?" Grissom quietly asked with pursed lips. Sara turned her head sideways to look at him. "For the middle name." He added.

"I like that." She whispered. "Charles Warrick Grissom?"

"That sounds right." He said.


	2. Chapter 2

Grissom walked into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. It was 7:00 in the morning, around the time that graveyard shift would be ending. He estimated that he had 15 minutes before Nick and Greg arrived. He got out 4 mugs from the cabinet then slowly climbed his way back upstairs. He walked along the upstairs hallway and stood at the frame of the door to the nursery, he saw his wife sitting in the rocking chair across from the crib, looking on at their son who was sound asleep. The sliver of light coming in from the far window, reflected on her moist cheek. He walked over to her, knelt down in front of her and put his hands on her knees.

"Hey, hey." He whispered, whipping the tears from her face. "What's wrong?" She looked back at him for a few moments.

"What if we hadn't been so lucky?" She asked, also in a whisper. He nodded gently and turned his head to look at the baby in the crib behind him. She ran her fingers through his short curly hair. He turned back to face her and she slowly slid her hands from his hair, all the way down his face, stopping under his ears, massaging his jaw with her thumbs.

"Why don't I tell them that you're not up for it this morning?" He asked. She pulled her hands away from his face, sniffed her nose and sat up from the chair. "They will understand, dear. We can do it another time."

"No. No." She shook her head. "No, I – I want to." She whispered.

"Okay." He said softly and rose from his crouching position. He took her hand and lifted her up from the chair. She grinned as he kissed her temple. The doorbell rang and Charlie awoke with a whine. Sara giggled and looked over at the baby. "I'll go." He offered. "You take your time." He exited the room, holding her hand until he could no longer reach.

Sara walked over to Charlie's crib. She ran her index fingers under her eyes, whipping away any evidence of tears. She shook her head as she silently vowed to put the sadness behind her. Charlie was beautiful and healthy. There was no point to lingering on the irrelevant. The doctors had warned her that she would most likely be emotional for a few days following the birth. She looked down at her son and chuckled. It was incredible – how something so small could have such a large impact. She lifted him up from under his arms. She brought him to her chest. She _shh_'ed sofly and bounced him up and down.


	3. Chapter 3

"Griss!" Nick exclaimed. And before Grissom could invite them inside, he found himself in a warm embrace with his favorite student. Nick pulled out of the hug and gave Grissom an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Congratulations, man."

Grissom smiled at Nick before turning to the younger man who was waiting patiently, with a large grin on his face, behind him.

"Hey!" Greg said excitedly and drew Grissom in for another hug.

"Come on in, Guys." Grissom said after being released from Greg's arms. "I got coffee on."

They two men followed Grissom through the doorway. "Wow." Greg blurted out with a laugh. The foyer was large and long with a dark wood floor and high ceiling. A large staircase ran up the right side of the hall. A decent sized, gold chandelier hung above them. Along the left wall of the foyer hung a large, minimalist, textured painting and below it, rested a Victorian-style fainting couch and two tall lamps stood on either side. The place was very neat and traditional, Greg would have expected nothing less from his former boss.

"This place is beautiful." Nick said.

"Thank you." Grissom said and motioned for them to follow him down the hall. "Sara is just upstairs with the baby, she'll be down in a few minutes. Would you fellas like some coffee?"

"Just clocked a double." Greg said. "You know I would."

"Triple." Nick raised his arm in declaration. The end of the hallway opened up to a kitchen on the right side and a family room on the left. In front of them were three sets of large, clear double doors which looked out onto the lavish garden and patio. The kitchen was covered in impeccable cabinetry, stainless-steel appliances and marble counters. The backsplash was a neat, modern tile. In the middle of the kitchen stood a large island with cushioned barstools lined on the one side. Grissom walked towards a coffee machine that was set up on the counter beside the refrigerator.

"Glad to hear you're still working like dogs." Grissom said, pouring the coffee.

"You trained us well." Nick said, sitting on one of the stools on the side of the island opposite to Grissom.

"Woof woof." Greg joked and sat on a stool next to Nick. Grissom grinned, happy to see that Greg had maintained his corny sense of humor. "Where's your bathroom, Griss?"

"Down the hall on the left." Grissom said, pointing down the hall in which they had just emerged. Greg nodded and wandered back down the hall. Grissom passed Nick his cup of coffee. Black, just the way he always liked it. Nick looked down at the coffee and nodded with a smile, touched – but not in the least bit surprised – that he remembered.

"So," Grissom interrupted the silence. "How _is_ work?"

"It's… uh… It's good." Nick said. Not lying, per say, just not telling the whole truth.

"Nick, I heard about - "

"My almost quitting?" Nick interrupted. He should have known Sara would say something.

"Yeah." Grissom said. "You know, Nick, people are going to leave. It's what they do." He was referring to Catherine's departure. Being his former mentor, Grissom was aware of Nick's sensitivity and imagined that it, along with his raging temper, was the reason for his almost-resignation. Nick nodded and Grissom noticed that something was different in Nick. He had lost something, something that he used to love. His vulnerability was now masked in anger and resentment. He seemed harder then he used to and more jaded.

"It wasn't just about Catherine." Nick said.

"McKeen." Grissom said, placing his elbows on his side of the island and leaning in towards Nick.

"Yeah. Yeah. I just - " Nick took a moment. "The job just isn't what it used to be. For me."

"And quitting is the answer?"

"At the time it seemed like it, yeah."

"Nick." Grissom took a deep breath. "You are one of the greatest CSIs I've ever worked with, and what made you so great was the thoughtfulness, the humanity and the passion with which you approached your job. And maybe," he paused. "Maybe the reason that the job doesn't give you the same satisfaction as it did before is because you've lost the things that made you so good at it." Nick was no longer looking at Grissom, but at his hands. "All of us have lost parts of ourselves to the job. Catherine, Warrick, Brass," He signaled down the hall. "Greg," He signaled upstairs. "Sara and I both have. It takes things from you, it's notorious for it. But if you know who you are without the vest, you can just take them back. If you forget," Nick looked up at him, his eyes moist. "_Then_ it's time to take the vest off." Nick nodded and Greg walked into the room.

"So where the hell's Sara?" Greg asked, his arms extended to both sides. Grissom raised his eyebrow and signaled to the space behind him. Greg spun around and found himself face to face with one of his favorite people: Sara Sidle.


	4. Chapter 4

There she was! Exhausted, Worn, and visibly dirty but still somehow radiant. As beautiful as she was, Greg's eyes were immediately drawn to the small wad of cloth that she was supporting in both arms. Greg could just make out a sliver of face from an opening near one end of the bundle. Sara gleamed with pride as she walked towards Greg, sinking heavily into each step. Greg's eyes beamed as the babies whole face came into sight.

He was so small and perfect. His eyes were open wide, his mouth open in a relaxed gape. Sara turned her body so as to showcase the newborn and Greg chuckled in amazement. He couldn't believe it – Sara, a mother. She looked up at Greg expectantly, as if to ask if he wanted to hold him. Greg gave her a series of small, fast nods and she giggled as she passed him off. Grissom walked over to supervise Greg with the baby as Sara walked over to Nick and threw herself into his arms.

"Congratulations." He whispered.

"Thank you." She whispered back, choking up. She reminded herself to get a grip (after all, it had only been a week since she saw them last) but it was no use as the tight embrace seemed to squeeze the tears out of her. All of a sudden, she was crying. She pulled herself away from Nicks arms and saw his concerned face. "I'm sorry. I'm fine, really. It's the hormones!" She said, still unable to control her emotions. He laughed and pulled her in for another, quick hug. Greg had now passed off Charles to Grissom who was walking over to Nick to give him his turn with the baby. Sara made her way to Greg and gently wrapped her arms around his neck.

"He's amazing." Greg said as they hugged. Sara closed her eyes and squeezed him tightly. She gave Greg a kiss and sunk out of the hug. She laughed at herself and wiped her eyes, something that she had been doing far too much of in the past few days.


End file.
